Tips to Make Apartment Hunting in Winnipeg Easy

In the booming real estate business, there have been a pop-up of rentals. There are now so many rentals to choose from in Winnipeg, which can make the process of apartment hunting confusing and stressful. With rentals, there are definitely some things to be cautious about. Here are some essential tips to help make the apartment hunting process easier.

1. Focus on a few neighbourhoods
Don’t try to choose between countless of rentals available across Winnipeg, instead narrow your search down to a few neighbourhoods. Consider the average rent of each neighbourhood, as well as the atmosphere of the neighbourhood and amenities such as transportation, shopping areas, grocery stores etc.

2. Pick your top three priorities
Find out what you want to prioritize when renting. The first one should be budget. The other things you might want to prioritize is up to you: do you need parking? In-suite laundry? Does the place have to be close to your work or school? Etc.

3. Pre-measure your furniture
Before going for showings make sure that your furniture will fit in the rental space. Bring a list of your furniture measurements and a measuring tape so you know for sure what you can or cannot bring. Also, keep in mind if your things will fit through the door and the elevator of your building.

4. Be prepared for showings
Arrive at apartment showings with the paperwork you need, because some landlords will ask you to fill out a lease application on the spot. Some other things you might want to bring are:
– Cheques for a damage deposit
– Contact information of your employer and previous landlords
– Credit check document
– A renter’s biography

5. Keep a checklist handy
You might end up scheduling visits to 4-8 different apartments in one day, and you might get confused and overwhelmed. Use a checklist to keep track of what apartment is which, note any features and amenities each rental has and any other observations.

6. Be comprehensive
You want to make sure that you are choosing your dream apartment, so don’t be afraid to be as nosy as possible during showings. Take a peek into closets to find out about storage space, test out the thermostat and A/C, test all the lights etc. Be comprehensive as possible in your search. You might end up narrowing down a lot of options this way.

7. Get everything in writing
This is a great idea to implement because if you spot any problems with the apartment like stuck windows, broken thermostats, dents and scratches etc. you can get the landlord to write it in the lease that these things will be fixed (and make sure there is a date as to when they will be fixed), have both the landlord and yourself to sign it so you don’t end up paying for damage that you didn’t create.
Other things to get in writing are: the rent amount and the damage deposit.

8. Read reviews
Lastly, read the reviews. Some apartment complexes might have reviews posted about them online, so do some research and look them up – be sure to keep an eye out for any repeated complaints.

There you have it, these are some tips that will make for an easier apartment hunting process in Winnipeg. Good luck!